Esri European Wind User Group Finds New Uses for GIS

Members Work on Smarter Ways to Manage the Earth's Resources

Redlands, California—European wind energy professionals gathered in Dublin, Ireland, recently to discuss innovative ways to meet renewable-energy demands using the Esri ArcGIS platform. Members of the Esri European Wind User Group shared how they apply ArcGIS maps, apps, and tools to offshore and onshore wind-farm development, planning, engineering, construction, operations, and maintenance.

"GIS technology is improving the way we view and manage our planet's resources," said Craig Weber, GIS manager at Mainstream Renewable Power in Toronto, Canada, who is serving as the group's 2013–2014 president. "What's common amongst this group of users is [that] we rely on the ArcGIS platform to support the way we produce and deliver energy from wind—a renewable resource with great potential to meet our energy demands."

Highlights of the meeting included the following:

EDP of Portugal showed how to use geographic information systems (GIS) for both ongoing land assets and leases management and royalty payment processing to landowners.

Esri Germany explained how GIS can be used to perform shadow analysis of rotor blades.

Esri partner Geonis shared a solution to support design and construction activities.

Esri partner OSISoft discussed how the integration of real-time data and GIS helps with performance and production optimization and reliability.

Mainstream Renewable Power discussed GIS maturity within the organization and how to promote GIS as a core business function.

To get connected and join the wind energy community, operators and developers are encouraged to join the group on LinkedIn.